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0650

Science magazine's breakthrough of the year is ‘gene editing’ but scientists are now excited about ‘gene driving’ because it offers the potential to eradicate some deadly viruses. Huw Jones is professor of molecular genetics at Rothamsted Research.

0655

A new licencing regime is planned by the Irish Government to control seaweed collection on the West Coast of Ireland. Speaking on the programme is Cllr Rose Conway Walsh, Sinn Féin councillor on Mayo County Council.

0710

Train services will be affected by engineering works beginning today and running through to the New Year. David Sidebottom is passenger director at Transport Focus.

0715

The two Myanmar migrant workers accused of killing two British tourists in Thailand have been found guilty of their murders. Andy Hall is international affairs advisor for the Migrant Worker Rights Network – which has represented the defendants.

0720

Researchers from Oxford University say drugs to lower blood pressure should be offered to all patients who are at high risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Kazem Rahimi is associate professor of Cardiovascular Medicine – who carried out the research.

0725

The exams regulator Ofqual has highlighted a lack of information about the way schools in England treat students with special needs taking exams. Speaking live on the programme isÌýToday programme correspondentÌýTom Bateman.

0730

Labour claims that planned changes to housing benefit will hit the elderly, disabled, homeless and vulnerable. John Healey MP is shadow Minister for Housing and Planning.

0750

Latest reports from southern Afghanistan suggest that one of the main districts in the province of Helmand is now almost entirely under Taliban control. Sanchia Berg reports on the developments in Helmand and we speak live to Francesc Vendrell of the Afghanistan Analysts Network.

0810

Science magazine's breakthrough of the year is ‘gene editing’ but scientists are now excited about ‘gene driving’ because it offers the potential to eradicate some deadly viruses. Tom Feilden reports and we hear live from Charles Godfray, Hope Professor of Zoology at the University of Oxford and Jack Stilgoe, senior lecturer at the UCL Department of Science and Technology Studies.

0820

The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols comes live to Radio 4 from the chapel of Kings College Cambridge every Christmas Eve. The ´óÏó´«Ã½ first broadcast the service in 1928, when among the choristers wasÌý11-year-old David Briggs, who went on to become the headmaster of Kings College School, which provides the choristers. Now 98, he still sings, and Mishal Husain has been speaking to him.

0830

This Christmas, Pope Francis apologised to Vatican staff for the scandals of the past year, and promised the Curia - the Vatican bureaucrats - that he would press on with reform. Our religious affairs correspondent Caroline Wyatt reports and we speak live to Cardinal Vincent Nichols, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales.

0840

The good news for the residents of Great Heck is that one great mountain of rubbish that was burning and polluting their village has been removed - the bad news is that a similar quantity of rubbish on the site is yet to be dealt with. We speak live to Cathy Morgan, local resident of Great Heck, Selby.

0850

It's the very last episode of Downton Abbey tomorrow - bringing to an end one of the most iconic TV dramas of the last decade. Speaking on the programme is Andrew Billen, The Times TV critic, and Lady Fiona Carnarvon - the real 'Lady Downton' who lives at Highclere Castle in Berkshire.

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All subject to change.